A newly reformed government cannabis commission in Virginia will meet next week to discuss the future of marijuana law in the commonwealth—a process widely expected to result in a revised proposal to legalize retail sales of the drug.
As part of an earlier year House resolution, this group will be spending the months ahead gathering input from the public and recommending policy changes around Virginia’s potential transition into a commercial market for adult cannabis use. These include basic issues like tax and licensing details, as well as related topics such paraphernalia and employment protections.
Use and possession of marijuana has been legal in Virginia since 2022, but retail sales remain forbidden—a situation that’s helped fuel a multibillion-dollar illicit market. The retail market was not legalized and regulated by the state government, despite Democratic attempts in previous years. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican who has twice vetoed legislation passed by the legislature, stood in the path of reform.
Del. Paul Krizek (D), who sponsored the resolution creating the new body—formally called the Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Retail Cannabis Market—told MEDCAN24 in a recent interview.
It’s bad, said he, that despite possession being legalized, the infighting between lawmakers about how to regulate pot has left Virginians without a “well-regulated and tested retail market”.
The good news, he said, is that the delay has allowed us to improve this bill and bring it back in next year’s session. “It’s also given us the time to…get more input from the public and from the stakeholders, and to really move cannabis from the street corner to behind an age-verified retail counter.”
Krizek says that in the near future, the discussion of the commission will help to inform a bill update which is expected next year. Youngkin is term limited, and therefore unable to seek reelection this November. His replacement will decide whether products regulated in Canada are made available within the next couple of years.
Whatever happens, the body is scheduled to remain in place until mid-2028, which the lawmaker said will allow members to keep at the work—whether that means continuing to explore the possibility of retail sales or monitoring a fledgling commercial system as gets off the ground.
Six members of the House, and four senators, make up the commission established by Krizek’s HJ497 bill. The commonwealth had a similar body, but it was disbanded last year after the legislation that created it expired.
Most business at the commission’s first meeting, on July 9, will be housekeeping: things like setting agendas and ground rules for meetings, electing officers—Krizek said he hopes to be selected as chair, with Sen. Adam Ebbin (D) as vice chair—and laying out expectations for process ahead.
The bulk of their work, said Mr. Jordan, will be to hear from public and private stakeholders.
Krizek said to MEDCAN24 that the process is a “public one” with input from all stakeholders and members of society. “I am certain that the goal will be to provide as much public education and information about this process.” [as possible]”We would like to hear from you, particularly our shareholders.”
He stated that he plans to start with the legal sale bill that Youngkin vetoed, “with some small tweaks.” But he also mentioned other topics he hopes the commission will address, including expanding employment protections for cannabis to cover non-medical use of marijuana by adults, reviewing proposed tax rates for paraphernalia, and adding provisions regarding labor union organization.
The lawmaker was asked if the issues would be dealt with in a piecemeal manner or as part of an overall sales bill. She responded that for the time being, the focus is more on analyzing policy than figuring out how to create legislation.
He said, “Policy comes first and then you can worry about tactics.”
Marijuana Justice (also known as NORML) and Marijuana Justice are two of the groups that will be expected to take part in the process. Both organizations appeared at the last iteration.
Chelsea Higgs Wise said, “I’m excited about the opportunity to receive public input and hear expert testimony.” She called the Marijuana Justice Commission “an opportunity for an melding minds.”
“These legislators, many of them are new to the cannabis industry, and so this is an opportunity for them to learn best practices, hear from trusted advocates and organizers and invite in the experts…to make smart decisions,” she said.
She added that “the majority have demonstrated a commitment to justice and equity, as well as being willing to learn how cannabis could benefit Virginia.” I am excited to have this commission hear the views of Virginia’s cannabis industry and help shape its future.
Marijuana Justice prioritizes a number of issues for the discussion, including a look at the micro-businesses eligibility provisions. Higgs says that they could be a bit too expansive, and how cannabis companies can compete against large existing medical marijuana businesses.
“Centering large corporations or big cannabis in Virginia is not the best solution for the industry,” said Ms. Smith. We want to talk about how the sales date will affect people who are starting out versus those already operating with hemp and medical cannabis.
JM Pedini told MEDCAN24, the development director of the cannabis advocacy group NORML as well as the executive director of Virginia NORML that “the commission has consistently provided excellent opportunities for lawmakers and the general public to engage in cannabis policy discussion before the legislative sessions begin” and encouraged the interested public to attend meetings.
Pedini also emphasized the importance of voting later in this year, particularly for the Governor’s Race.
The outcome of November’s elections will ultimately determine the fate for cannabis retail in Virginia, they stated. The only choice is between two. “Voters have two choices: either they elect a Governor who signs a measure allowing retail cannabis sales, or one that will continue to fight against prohibitionist attempts to rollback marijuana freedoms within the Commonwealth.”
Virginia Cannabis Association is one of the advocacy groups that will not be engaging with the commission.
Jason Blanchette said, “To tell you the truth, we will not be attending any of these events.” I don’t know how it’s all going to turn out.
He continued, “I don’t really want to be involved at all” in the work of the commission. VCA’s focus is on reintroducing a bill lawmakers have sent to Youngkin over the last two years.
Blanchette stated, “We will push hard to finish the bill we’ve already worked so long to get it done.” It is hoped that the bill can be approved in January to avoid having to spend more time here.
Moreover, he questioned the composition of the panel. “Six delegates and four senators” isn’t the right way to go. He prefers to have members of the marijuana industry on the actual body.
I believe it will be compulsory for them to hire a representative who is a medical practitioner. The grower/farmer will have to have their own representative. “It’s mandatory that we have a representative for retail,” said he. “Public input…versus having a seat at the table are two totally different things.”
Blanchette, however, said that he is bullish about reform. Blanchette predicted that, after November’s elections, Democrats would control the Senate as well as the House of Delegates.
Blanchette stated that the party was more likely to be a triple-threat. This is why 2026 will be the last year to see this.
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Pedini and other advocates have noted that legalizing the retail sale could take a long time to achieve, possibly until 2030.
The reforms could be more incremental. In May, Youngkin vetoed legislation that allowed medical marijuana to be delivered directly to patients in locations other than the home. The bill would also have updated the product labeling standards so that packaging could more clearly show THC and CBD content.
In March, after the legislature passed the legislation, Youngkin recommended an amendment that would remove language to allow marijuana to be delivered to places other than a patient’s private residence. Lawmakers later declined to make that change, however, and sent the unamended bill back to the governor.
The proposal had strong support in both chambers, passing the Senate on a 30–10 vote and winning final approval in the House on an 84–14 margin. Youngkin rejected the proposal.
“While accurate labeling is essential to ensure patients receive consistent and safe medical cannabis,” he wrote in a veto message, “this bill would codify the ability to deliver medical cannabis to commercial businesses and temporary residences, raising public safety and regulatory concerns. Permitting deliveries to businesses—including locations where substance abuse, gambling, or other high-risk activities may occur—creates unnecessary risks for diversion, theft, and unintended access by minors.”
Pedini at NORML described the veto at the time as “yet another example of the attacks on legal cannabis and responsible consumers that are underway across the nation.”
Youngkin in March also vetoed a host of other drug reform proposals passed by lawmakers, including the legal sales bill and another to authorize the prescription of a synthetic form of psilocybin as soon as the federal government authorizes its use.
Beyond the legal sales and psilocybin bills, the governor also rejected a number of other cannabis-related reforms this session, including efforts to resentence people serving time for cannabis offenses and protect the parental rights of those who legally use the drug.
Youngkin stated in his veto letter that the sale of marijuana for adults “endangers Virginians’ health and security.”
The governor said that states following this route have experienced adverse health effects and increased violent crime. They also saw a significant decline in road safety and deterioration of mental health. Retail marijuana has also resulted in significant costs, which far outweigh the tax revenues. It also doesn’t eliminate illegal black market sales of cannabis nor does it guarantee product safety.
Even before the start of the current legislative session, Youngkin’s office had signaled it had no interest in the reform.
Christian Martinez told Virginia Public Media, late last year, that the Youngkin had been clear in their stance on a possible veto.
The reformers are watching his potential replacements to see what they think about legalization of cannabis and other policy changes.
Two frontrunners for the position—Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger—have starkly different views on the reform.
Earle-Sears, who recently shared Youngkin’s view on legalization, said: “There is no hope there.”
She has also stated that marijuana is a gateway substance and she terminated a former employee who used it.
Spanberger has voiced his support for a regulated market.
“We require a formalized legal cannabis market,” said she. She added: “We must also ensure that the cannabis market is legalized and formalized. [tax] “Revenues flowing into Virginia are used for the improvement of our schools and communities.”
Ebbin, a senator expected to be the vice-chair of the new Commission, said that the result of the Virginia election would determine future cannabis policies.
He told MEDCAN24 that regulated sales would be implemented after 2026’s legislative session, “assuming a candidate who is pro-regulated markets, such as Abigail Spanberger” was elected.
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Mike Latimer is the photographer.
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